Let Her Speak

It’s the challenge of every man to help the woman in his life find her voice, and then, be respectful and receptive when that voice speaks. -Steve Arterburn

About a month I got to hear Steve Arterburn, author of Every Man’s Battle, during a Women of Faith conference. He encouraged every woman to find her to find her strong voice.

Strong voice.

The church has always told me women should keep quiet.

Have you ever wondered why the church teaches that?

Well, it’s biblical.

“Women should be silent during the church meetings” (1 Cor 14:34) and “Women should learn quietly and submissively.I do not let women teach men or have authority over them. Let them listen quietly.” (1 Tim. 2:11-12).

Have you ever wondered why it’s biblical?

For God made Adam first, and afterward he made Eve.And it was not Adam who was deceived by Satan. The woman was deceived, and sin was the result. (1 Tim. 2:13-14).

Just like the pain of childbearing, the restriction on women in the church assembly is a consequence of sin. That restriction is a warning. It is a divine admonition, God’s reminder that those who forget the past are destined to repeat it. It is to keep us out of trouble.

It is biblical. But this is biblical too:

If you keep quiet at a time like this, deliverance and relief for the Jews will arise from some other place, but you and your relatives will die. Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this?” Esther 4:14

Just because God asks us engage self-control during the assembly, he doesn’t ask women roll over a die.

Throughout the Bible God has called out the strong voice of women to save the day.

He called on Rahab to save spies when Joshua was scoping out Jericho.

He called on Deborah and Jael to defeat their enemies during the Judges.

He called on Esther to prevent a Hebrew genocide during the Persian captivity.

He called on Elizabeth to bring bear a child who would prepare the world for the Messiah.

He called on Mary to bear that Messiah in face of earthly and demonic attacks.

So what does all that mean for men today?

Men of God should call out the strength of women too.

In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church,because we are members of his body. Eph 5:28-30

Strong men nurture the strength in women just as they nurture their own.

Godly men do not disregard the strength of women.

To the elect lady and her children…

Many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Such a one is the deceiver and the anti-Christ…If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting. (Read all of 2 John here.)

The Apostle John put “the elect lady” on guard for the anti-Christ and warned her not to employ her gift of hospitality to these false teachers. He had confidence in her knowledge to identify false teachers and in her ability to stand against them.

Stifling women’s strong voice leads to disobedience.

Many smart, strong, creative and innovative women have been stifled right into sin and leaving the church.

It’s like the kid in class who knows the answer to the question, is raising her hand and yet the teacher never calls on her to answer. The teacher just keeps calling on kids who just keep giving wrong answers. That kid sits quietly, frustrated and learns to just stop raising her hand. She stops offering her strong voice.

Sometimes when our churches are hurting, breaking apart, people are leaving and souls are dying, a woman may possess the wisdom to mend the body. A woman may have the insight on restoring vibrancy, truth and life back into the family of God. It’s what we do. We are women. We are life-givers.

Men can’t insist, demand or brow beat women into taking on a quiet, submissive role. It has to be a cultivated. It has to be a choice or really it means nothing. Quietness has to be an exhibition of discipline and strength. Strong men help women cultivate that strength.

You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.

Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross. Phil 2:5-6